Body cozy throw

ABSTRACT

A body cover throw construction including a stitched structure which opens to surround and cover the feet of a person who is in a sitting, reclining or laid-back position in a reclining chair, sofa or the like. The inventive body cover-throw comprises a length of fabric rectangular in shape that is hemmed to finish both ends then folded and stitched at one end, referred to as the bottom, to form three compartments within the folded layers, a centrally located compartment that has a slit opening to accommodate the feet and two are sealed compartments, one on each side of the folded layers, that provide localized areas of increased density and stability that effectively positions the bottom of the throw to catch and cover the user&#39;s feet with a scooping action when the throw is spread over and beyond the feet then pulled back over the user&#39;s feet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on Provisional application No. 60/903,252,filed on Feb. 22, 2007

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of blanket cover used forwarmth and relaxation; and more particularly to a body cover throw thataccommodates the user's feet.

In its most basic form a throw is a square or rectangular shapedsingle-layer of cloth distinguishable from blankets and quilts becausethrows are not intended for bedcovering and are characteristicallysmaller by comparison, lighter in weight and generally more decorative.Body cover throws, sometimes referred to as blanket throws, are intendedfor use as temporary cover over a portion of a person's body whileseated in a reclining position or lying on a sofa or otherwise relaxing.The main purpose of a throw is to keep localized areas of the user'sbody warm, and the feet are typically one of the areas that the userwants to cover. A person reclining in a chair or on a sofa will normallytoss and/or pull a throw over their lower body and in most cases, with aconventional throw, the person's feet will protrude or “pop-out” of theend of the throw. Covering ones feet with a throw is rather difficultand requires the help of another person, or the user must twist and turntheir feet so that they wrap the bottom end of the throw around theirfeet. This covering process reduces the effective useful length of theconventional throw by the amount of material tucked under the feet,thus, limiting the coverage to body areas generally well below theuser's chest; therefore, there isn't much covering left, if any, for theupper chest area.

Ordinary blankets and quilts, prevailingly used as bedcover while on abed, have often been used as cover by persons who need extra warmthwhile resting in places other than in a bed, such as in a chair or on asofa, etc. However, blankets and quilts do not offer the comfort andconvenience of a throw because most are too big and bulky, making themmore difficult to maneuver than a smaller and lighter weight throw. Forexample, a person in a reclining chair usually finds it difficult tospread a blanket over their body in a manner that provides cover fortheir feet, then any shifting or movement of the user may cause theblanket to slide off or pull away and uncover the feet, and sometimestangle, or otherwise hinder the person's ability for reading a book orperforming other functions with use of their hands.

Known prior art includes a variety of wraps and blanket type itemsdesigned to provide pockets or pouches to contain the user's feet, foruse alone or while covered in bed. Some of the prior art items areclassed as “apparel of bag form or having means to close the lower partto form a bag”; others are described as “bed clothing, includingblankets, intended to receive the human body for the purpose of repose”.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,756 to Nancy D. Barrett shows a blanket to be wornin covering relation to the front of the user's body, comprising asquare blanket having one corner removed at a 45 degree angle and apiece of another blanket material attached to provide a pocket for feet.It is difficult for the user to achieve even coverage of the bodybecause this foot pocket blanket is worn diagonally making it hard toarrange for covering the front of the user's body and there is no meansfor keeping the cover from sliding off the shoulders and knee areas of aperson that moves. To cover the feet with this blanket the user mustposition the opening to the foot receiving pocket then thrust his or herfeet into the pocket after which the top opening is drawn closer aroundthe legs of the user. Also, it is difficult for the user to slip theirfeet out of the pocket to remove this blanket cover.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,542 to Steven R. Mays shows a foot pouch blanketcomprising a blanket that is folded at the bottom and stitched on eachside to form a pouch that extends across the full width of the blanket,with a dart placed in the top center of the foot pouch. It is difficultfor the user to cover their feet because the open layer of the pouchhangs unevenly due to sagging on each side of the dart and it isdifficult to place the dart between the feet and legs of the user; whenboth feet are in one side of the pouch the blanket cannot provide evencover to the upper legs and chest areas.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,870 to Francette Bertrand shows a blanket tosurround the chest, arms and legs of a person seated or lying down,comprising a lower pocket to contain the feet of the person formed fromthe lower central part of the blanket attached to other blanket materialwith the two side lower parts of the blanket removed. The shape of thisblanket provides for wrapping around the user's body and a means forfastening the sides and top of the blanket to hold it in place. It isdifficult to wrap oneself in this blanket and while wrapped and fastenedit is difficult for a person to uncover themselves; furthermore, sincethe foot pocket is not as wide as the uncut portion of the blanket thereis a gap in coverage of the legs just above each side of the pocket thatcontains the feet. Cold air from outside the blanket cover may creep inthrough such gaps to cause discomfort to the user.

U.S. Pat. No. D527,562 S to Mele Luana Manning claims a design for a legblanket with a foot pocket that is described as a cover for legs andfeet. The description of the design shows the foot pocket is not as wideas the portion of the blanket cover for the legs. The design does notprovide full cover for the legs because there is a gap in coverage justabove each upper side of the foot pocket. Due to the limited coveragesuch leg blanket is neither intended nor suitable for filling the needsserved by this present invention.

Somewhat related prior art include a variety of special use blanketsthat are disclosed in patents, such as infants receiving blankets foldedand stitched to form a pocket for the feet, U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,407 toVirginia Key; a child's foot bag blanket with foot pockets for wrappingchildren while in car seats, U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,200 to Loran LewisWyman; and a quilt for use in wheelchairs with a pouch for the feet ofthe wearer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,141 to Elizabeth Doser. Also, designsfor sleeping bags, robes, pouches and bags which provide covering ofonly the feet and lower legs for keeping feet warm while in bed, andancient disclosures of a lap robes with foot pockets to keep a personwarm while riding in a horse drawn carriage. Such items were neitherintended nor suitable for filling the needs served by this presentinvention.

With all the aforementioned items of prior art it remains difficult fora person, particularly someone with limited dexterity, to manipulatetheir feet to enter pockets or pouches for covering their feet, or toreach down and wrap their feet in a foot containment. This presentinvention substantially differs from conventional concepts and designsof the prior art by providing a body cover throw of customary lengthwith a centrally located accommodation for the feet at the bottom endand a mechanism primarily developed to facilitate the covering of theuser's feet, and also designed for easy removal.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object and advantages of the present invention are to provide athrow of customary length with an accommodation for the user's feet anda mechanism which facilitates the covering of a person's feet while theperson is sitting, reclining or in a laid-back position, and to keepthem and their feet warm and cozy. A particular feature of thisinventive throw is a mechanism consisting of a stitched structurefabricated at the bottom end which opens to surround and cover the feetof a person who is in a sitting, reclining or laid-back position in areclining chair, sofa or the like. When the bottom portion of thisinventive throw is spread or tossed over the user's legs and beyond thefeet then pulled laterally back over the user's feet toward the user'slower body with feet slightly lifted, the user's feet are surrounded andwrapped inside a centrally located compartment with a slit openingformed by two layers of folded fabric joined together by stitches at thebottom and both sides and positioned between sealed compartments. Whenlowered, the feet serve as an effective anchor assisted by the sealedcompartments to keep the throw evenly distributed side to side andprevent it from shifting or sliding off when the user moves or changesposition. The top or upper portion of this throw may be adjusted asdesired to cover other portions of the user's body.

The throw of this invention comprises a length of fabric rectangular inshape with finished side edges and hemmed to finish both ends, thenfolded and stitched at one end, referred to as the bottom, to create aunique sewn structure that provides a mechanism for catching andcovering the user's feet and keeping them covered. The unique sewnstructure consists of a functional hem along the edge of the bottomlayer of the folded component and a path of stitches inserted to securethe crease line of the fold and to form three compartments within thefolded layers, two are sealed compartments, one on each side of acentrally located compartment that has a slit opening to accommodate thefeet. The sealed compartments provide localized areas of increaseddensity and stability that effectively positions the bottom of the throwto catch and cover the user's feet with a scooping action when the throwis spread over and beyond the feet then pulled back over the user'sfeet.

The construction of the sewn structure provides a mechanism, based onprincipals of gravity, momentum and aerodynamics, that spreads thelayers and opens the centrally located compartment for receiving theuser's feet as the assembly is pulled laterally back over the user'sslightly lifted feet.

Further objects and advantages are to provide a throw which does notrestrain the feet while covered and permits the feet to be easilyslipped out of the folded compartment as desired or when removing thethrow from the user's body.

A particularly preferred embodiment comprises a rectangular shapedportion of cloth previously manufactured to the desired width with cleanfinished edges on each side and cut to the desired length with allowancefor fabricating the folded structure. Both ends of the rectangularshaped portion of cloth are folded-under, backside to backside, andstitched to produce finished hems, a two-inch wide hem along the edge,that will be designated as the top of the throw, and a one-inch wide hemalong the edge of the other end. After forming the one-inch hem, aportion of that end of the material is folded backside to backside toproduce a widthwise fold and to position the one-inch hem a distance oftwelve inches from and parallel to the crease of the fold which is nowestablished as the bottom of the throw. The two layers of foldedmaterial are stitched together, first by a line of stitches along thefolded bottom edge to secure the crease line, next, along each side edgeby stitching from the crease up to the outer edge of the one-inch hem,then across the hemmed edge for a distance of approximately nine inchestoward the center line of the throw and back down to the crease line atthe bottom edge of the folded material to produce two rectangular shapedsealed compartments, one on each side of the compartment that has a slitopening. The areas occupied by the two sealed compartments are stitchedaround their full perimeter to hold two layers of the folded fabric inclose proximity to each other which results in localized areas of higherdensity than the adjoining two layers of the fold that form the opencavity centered between the two sealed compartments

The design of this invention provides an improved throw of the customaryfull length for use in covering the user's body, in most cases extendingup to the neck of the average person. Additionally, the omission of theconventional end fringes eliminates the bothersome nature of thesefringes. One version of the present invention utilizes decorativestripes across the width of the material that are formed during themanufacture of the fabric and located at distances for positioningacross the top hem and on each side of the stitched folded edge of thebottom of the throw.

(The throw according to this invention may be made of a variety ofmaterials, including woven, knitted and non-woven textile fabricscontaining natural, synthetic or blended fiber components. Woven highpile double-faced fleece fabric consisting of 100% polyester texturizedyarn are especially desirable materials because of their aestheticproperties and cozy attributes: they are very soft and provide excellentinsulating properties; also, such materials provide superior durability,resistance to wear and are economical and easy to care for. However,this invention is not limited to any particular type of material.

The design of this inventive throw also provides for inexpensivemanufacture. The stitching that joins the two layers of the foldedmaterial may be performed in steps. However, to prevent time consumingstop & go sewing that requires lifting and adjustment of the sewingmechanism, the stitching is best accomplished by following a course thatbegins from the edge of the crease formed by the folded material,previously defined as the bottom of the throw, at a point located at adistance of approximately 9 inches from either side of the rectangularshaped structure. From that point the stitching follows a path thatproceeds toward the top of the throw in a direction parallel to thecenter-line of the rectangular shaped structure for a distance ofapproximately 12 inches to intersect the stitching that secures theone-inch hem that was constructed before making the fold, then turns ata right angle from the center line to form stitches for a distance of 9inches in a direction toward the closest side to securely join theone-inch hem in the shorter layer to the longer layer of the foldedfabric, then turns at a right angle and continues toward the bottom ofthe folded structure to join the two layers along the side for adistance of approximately 12 inches to the folded crease, then turns ata right angle and proceeds all the way across the folded bottom edge toa point near the edge of the other long side of the rectangular shapedstructure, forming stitches to securely join both layers along the foldto set the crease line, then turns at a right angle and proceeds alongthe side toward the top of the throw for a distance of approximately 12inches to intersect the stitching that secures the one-inch hem, thenturns at a right angle to form a line of stitches toward the center lineof the rectangular shaped structure for a distance of approximately 9inches to securely join the one-inch hem and to the longer layer of thefolded fabric, after which the path of stitching turns at a right angleand continues in a direction toward the bottom of the throw to form aline of stitches parallel to the center-line for a distance ofapproximately 12 inches, and thus ending at the bottom edge of thefolded crease.

The sealed compartments may be filled with “beans” or plastic pellets toprovide additional mass for those two localized areas, or left open onone side.

The throw according to the invention is illustrated by drawings of theform that is presently preferred; it being understood that thisinvention is not limited to the precise construction shown in respect todimensions and arrangements of the various components or the selectionof materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the throw as viewed from the underside to revealdimensional and construction details of the body of the throw and thethree compartments.

FIGS. 1-A and 1-B are cross-sectional views that show the constructionof the sealed compartments and the open space under the fold between thetwo sealed compartments.

FIG. 2 illustrates the utility of the invention, showing a view of auser lying down with the front of user's body facing upward.

FIG. 3 illustrates the utility of the invention, showing a user lying onhis/her side while cuddled under the throw with feet entirely wrapped bythe fold-under opening between the two sealed compartments.

In all the Figures, the same reference numbers are affixed to therespective components of the throw and related items. CL DETAILEDDESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the underside of the Throw 4 that is constructed froma single layer of cloth 5 having a face side 5A and a back side 5B byperforming the following steps: a piece of cloth, previouslymanufactured to the desired width and length to form the rectangularshape of the body cover throw 4. The edges of both ends of therectangular shaped portion of cloth are folded-under and stitched toproduce hemmed edges that generally conform to ASTM Standard D-6193(Formerly Federal Standard 751a) Class EFb-2 using Stitch Type 301 asindicated by a dotted line 7 to produce a two-inch wide hem 6 along thetop edge and a one-inch wide hem along the bottom edge 6A. After formingthe one-inch hem, a twelve inch portion of cloth at that end of thematerial, now established as the bottom of the throw, is folded backsideto backside and the two layers are stitched together, indicated bydashes 8, along the folded bottom edge to secure the crease line, upboth side edges of the folded material, and from each side edge acrossthe one-inch hem toward the center line of the throw for a distance ofnine inches, and back down to the bottom stitched edge of the foldedmaterial which forms two rectangular shaped sealed compartments 9, oneon each side of the open compartment 10 of the folded material at thebottom of the throw that serves to catch and cover the user's feet whenthe throw is pulled upward over the user's feet and lower body.

In the preferred embodiment shown the dimensions of the finished throwis forty eight inches wide by sixty inches long as finished with hemsand a twelve inch stitched down fold, thus producing a compartment witha slit opening measuring thirty inches wide by twelve inches deep toscoop and wrap the feet, between two sealed compartments, each measuringnine inches wide by twelve inches deep. The component fabric, broadlyclassed as a double faced fleece fabric with a fabric density ofapproximately five and one-half ounces per square yard, is a woven, highpile double-faced fleece fabric, consisting of 100% polyester texturedyarn purchased from Yiwn Houzhai Jiahui Tactel Mill in China, However,this invention is not limited to any particular type of material and maybe constructed from a variety of textile materials, including knitted,woven or non-woven fabrics and may be adapted for other dimensions.

FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of the throw of FIG. 1 taken along theedge of the left side, indicated by lines 1-1, that illustrates thefolded cloth portion of the throw and the location of stitches 8 thatjoin both layers along the bottom edge of the folded crease line andfrom the folded crease line to the one-inch hem of the lower layer andsecure portions of the one-inch hem to the upper layer from each side tothe slit opening to the centrally located compartment. As viewed fromthe left side, FIG. 1A also illustrates a cross sectional view of thethrow in FIG. 1 taken along lines indicated as 3-3 and 3′-3′ that trackthe stitches through both layers of cloth that form partitions betweenthe three compartments and complete the closing of the sealedcompartment(s) 9 on the left and right sides, respectively; and takenalong lines 1′-1′ which represents the stitching that joins the twolayers together at the right side of the throw.

FIG. 1B is a cross sectional view of the throw of FIG. 1 taken along thecenter line, indicated by lines 2-2 that illustrates the position of thefolded layers, stitching and hems in the open compartment.

FIG. 2 illustrates the utility of the invention, showing a view fromabove the user 13 who is lying down with the front of his/her bodyfacing upward while partially covered by the throw 4 from feet to acrossthe chest area. FIG. 2 shows the user's feet inside the open compartment10 of the folded portion of the throw; the user's feet are under thethrow's upper layer and above the lower layer. The sealed compartment(s)9 are closed by stitches, indicated by dashes 8, which join both layersof cloth to close all four sides of the sealed compartments. Thestitching in the portion of the hem that extends across the open spacein the fold is indicated by a dotted line 7.

FIG. 3 illustrates the utility of the invention, showing a view of auser 13 who is reclining on his/her side with feet inside the opencompartment 10 with the throw 4 positioned to also cover other parts ofthe body up to the shoulder. FIG. 3 also illustrates a cross sectionalview of the throw in FIG. 1 taken along the center line, previouslyidentified as lines 2-2, to illustrate how the user's feet are capturedand covered by the unique opening in the folded area between the sealedcompartments in a manner that serves as an effective anchor for thebottom of the throw to prevent it from shifting or sliding off when theuser moves or shifts position.

The present invention has been described in considerable detail withreference to a certain preferred version as illustrated in the drawings.These aspects of the invention are not intended to exclude the use ofalternative components or to limit the dimensional features of the throwor the open space formed between the two sealed compartments. It will beapparent by those skilled in the art that other versions andmodifications could be made without deviating from the spirit of thisinvention.

1. A body cover throw to facilitate covering the feet of a person who isin a sitting, reclining or laid-back position in a reclining chair, sofaor the like; this throw comprising a rectangular shape sheet of fabricwith a folded and stitched structure that provides a mechanism forcatching and covering the user's feet in a centrally positionedcompartment with a slit entry for the feet located between stabilizingsealed compartments, wherein the user's feet are covered by said footcompartment to maintain body heat for keeping warm and cozy.
 2. The bodycover throw in claim 1, wherein the sealed compartments have increaseddensity and/or mass to stabilize spreading action which effectivelypositions and opens the slit into the cavity of the centrally locatedcompartment to catch and cover the user's feet with a scooping actionwhen the throw is spread over and beyond the feet and then pulled backover the user's feet and upward to cover the user's body.
 3. The bodycover throw in claim 1, wherein one or both of the smallercompartment(s) have an opening for insertion of other items butrestricts entry of any part of the user's feet due to dimensions and/orlocation around the perimeter of said compartment(s).
 4. The body coverthrow in claim 2, wherein material for additional mass and/or cushioningis contained within the sealed compartments.
 5. The body cover throw inclaim 3, wherein the opening to the smaller compartments has a means forclosure by affixing flaps with buttons, zippers, or Velcro typefasteners, etc.